Seasons are changing – and so are we, here at Afishionado

Over the course of the last year, maintaining Catch of the Week as a premiere first subscription service has become a challenge.

Recently, the availability of fresh-caught, local, wild species has been declining.

Access to large, pelagic fish that have been caught using a method we support has been an issue.

The logistics of serving multiple communities spread across the Maritimes has proven difficult

However, it’s not all bad news! Shellfish aquaculture is at an exciting time here in Nova Scotia – seeing unprecedented knowledge in the industry and consumer interest. As you know, our fearless leader Hana is part of an oyster farming family, and we are seeing families like hers lead the province into a more sustainable future.

We are also sourcing fish from new places, where fishers and farmers are doing things right. For example, we’ve found haddock from a rural part of Newfoundland that is caught through a method we support. The haddock is caught as by-catch from a directed, ocean wise recommended fishery. However, because of the logistics of buying from a rural community, the fish needs to be frozen upon landing to maintain a high quality. High quality frozen fish is becoming increasingly common – including our British Columbia sockeye salmon, and Indonesian yellowfin tuna – so why not just give our customers the frozen fish? This allows you to decide when to thaw and consume it!

We want to provide the highest quality seafood anywhere in Atlantic Canada and to do this we’ve decided to change our subscription model and include these foundations:

High quality frozen seafood, from sustainable fisheries on a monthly basis

By buying in bulk, and processing into individually frozen portions at our plant, we can decrease costs for our customers. We want you to know exactly how much each fish costs in the box. By buying in bulk, as part of a Community Supported Fisheries (CSF) program, you’re actually getting each fish portion for a discounted rate!

A frozen supply chain simplifies logistics and reduces waste.

Convenient portions are a perfectly easy way to add protein to your diet for you and your family.

The case for frozen

In reality, “fresh – never -frozen” fish does not actually taste better than flash-frozen fish. In fact, frozen fish may be better for your tastebuds, wallet, and the health of our oceans and fishing communities.

You have probably heard that fresh is always better – from fishmongers and chefs to the branding on mass produced seafood products – however in the global seafood supply chain, “fresh fish” is often much less fresh than advertised. Seafood is shipped long distances, where it sits on fishing boats, distribution centres, loading docks, trucks, and warehouses before it gets to market – leading to not so fresh fish. When seafood travels between so many middlemen on its route to your plate, there is a higher risk of transparency issues like mislabelling and fraud.

By freezing their catch, small-scale fishers can preserve the high-quality of their fish instead of exporting it to the lowest bidder before it goes bad. Consumers are able to access any fish any time, regardless of the season, and fishers are able to sell directly to consumers or companies like us rather than large distributors who pay pennies-per-pound. Freezing our fish also allows us to shop around, finding the best prices, highest quality and buying in bulk.

But what about Oysters?

As our business has grown, we have become a more important player in the shellfish community. After all, Hana is part of a shellfish farming family. We’d like to celebrate these roots, and those of our hardworking fishing and farming families, by starting an Oyster of The Month Club.

Oyster of the Month is our way of offering you oysters directly from farms across the Maritimes, and provides an avenue to tell the story of the fishing and farming families that are doing things right. We want to foster a connection between you and our oyster producers.

St. Simon oysters from Shippagan, NB, photo by Jess Emin

Catch of the Month Club – how it works

Joining the Catch of the Month Club for $10 a year allows you to subscribe to monthly seafood boxes, get first access to our specials, and invitations to quarterly shucking workshops, tastings, tours, and special events. The $10 membership pays for the platform used to host these bonuses, and focus on supporting fishing families and fostering a community where sustainable seafood practices thrive. In return, customers become part of the sustainable fishing and farming community here in Nova Scotia.

Signing up for a frozen box means that you will control what is in your box, know exactly what you are getting, and how it is discounted. It also means that you only have to pick up your share once a month, while continuing to receive incredible tasting seafood in the same quantity as before. And like always, skip your box delivery any time before it renews!

Seafood Boxes

Oyster club ($75 or $140 per month)

Oyster club directly supports oyster families, and allows you to receive a discounted price for buying in bulk. High in zinc and magnesium, oysters are great for parties, and actually last for several weeks in your fridge!